Audiology

To identify the underlying cause of hearing loss, ear discomfort, ringing in the ear, dizziness, or difficulty keeping your balance, you may need specialized audiology testing. Westchester ENT features an in-office audiology staff that assists board-certified otolaryngologist Aaron Spingarn, MD, with advanced diagnostic testing like audiograms, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response tests, and electronystagmography (ENG). The audiologists provide diagnostic services for adults and children and also offer newborn hearing screenings onsite. If you need help managing hearing loss, ringing in your ear or dizziness, call our office in Hartsdale, NY, at 914.686.3950, or book an appointment online today.

What is audiology?

Audiology focuses on assessing, diagnosing, and treating conditions that affect your ability to hear clearly or cause ringing in the ears or ear discomfort. Diagnostic audiology services can also address balance problems that result from infections and other conditions that affect the balance organs within your ear.  

Westchester ENT offers a range of audiology services for children and adults. The staff audiologists assist Dr. Spingarn with diagnostic testing services, often during your initial visit, so you get the answers you need without delay.

When are audiology services needed?

You should schedule an audiology appointment at Westchester ENT if you have changes in your hearing, experience ringing or fullness in your ears, or develop dizziness or a feeling of being off balance.

Some indications that you or your loved one may need an audiology evaluation include:

• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• Motion sickness
• Balance problems
• Ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
• Loss of hearing in one or both ears

Ignoring these symptoms for too long can lead to a worsening of your condition and an increased risk for permanent hearing loss.

You can also schedule an appointment for your newborn shortly after birth, so Dr. Spingarn can assess your baby’s hearing ability. 

What audiology services are available?

Our Westchester ENT audiologists offer specialized diagnostic tests onsite for hearing and balance assessments and newborn hearing screenings, including:

Audiogram

An audiogram is a graph that shows the softest sounds you can hear at different frequencies to determine your degree of hearing loss.

Otoacoustic emissions testing

Otoacoustic emissions testing records sounds that come from inside your ear to diagnose fluid in the ear, infections, and hearing loss in children and adults who aren’t old enough or able to respond to questions about their hearing ability.

Auditory brainstem response testing

Auditory brainstem response testing records the neural response to sound using electrodes that stick to the surface of the skin. This test helps assess hearing loss in young children who are unable to respond to conventional hearing tests, and can help rule out nerve problems in adult patients with hearing loss or ringing in only one ear.

Electronystagmography (ENG)

An ENG measures electrical activity around your eye to evaluate dizziness and vertigo, a condition that makes you feel like you or the room around you is spinning. This test can also help identify the cause of certain hearing disorders that can also affect your balance.

After your tests, Dr. Spingarn evaluates the results to identify potential hearing loss or underlying causes of balance issues. 

Though he doesn’t dispense hearing aids, Dr. Spingarn can help you to determine if you would benefit from wearing them. Call Westchester ENT at 914.686.3950 to schedule an audiology consultation for you or your child, or book an appointment online today.